The invention generally relates to track mounted lighting. In particular, the invention is directed towards a pendant mounted track lighting system that incorporates and integrates intraoral illumination for illuminating a patient's oral cavity, general room or ambient lighting in the operatory environment for patients and practitioners, directional task lighting for work surface areas, and electronic display for patient stimulation all in a single track lighting system.
It is often necessary to move a light source such as an electric light within a room or other space to provide lighting where it is most needed. One response to this desire for portability is found in track lighting, which is found in many residential and commercial uses.
Similarly, in operating rooms, it is frequently desired to move a light source to a specific location dictated by the positioning of the surgical apparatus, location of the practitioner, and the location of the patient. Numerous apparatus for allowing lighting fixtures to be moved about the room have been designed in response to this need. Among them is a longitudinal track running along at least a portion of the ceiling of the operating room and a carriage mechanism for engaging the track an allowing the light assembly to slide along it.
Track mounted lighting systems are found in various health care examination and treatment facilities, such as medical and dental operations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,671 discloses an illumination system, particularly adapted to use in hospitals, has an elongated, low-profile fluorescent lighting fixture on the side of and parallel to a track, a reading-examination light mounted on one end of a telescoping boom, the other end of which is swingably connected to a boom mount rotatably carried by a carriage mounted to roll along the track.
The lighting fixture of the '671 patent includes means for providing low brightness down lighting and higher brightness side lighting. The reading-examination light is so constructed as to permit two levels of illumination from a single light source and color correction in a small, balanced, easily manipulated unit. The telescoping boom and its mounting are so constructed as to be light, strong and stable in any position within wide limits. The carriage is so constructed as to permit easy transport of the boom and light, and positive and continuous connection of electrical conductors within the boom to a source of current.
Numerous single solution products exist for track mounted intraoral lighting made by companies such as Adec, Pelton, Crane & Marus. However, these lighting products are only single solution products, designed solely for exam lighting of an oral cavity of a patient. A small number of companies may even add a second feature, such as a carriage mechanism, to these single solution products.
Therefore, it would be particularly desirable to provide a track lighting system that would incorporate or integrate track mounted intraoral illumination, general room or ambient lighting, task lighting, and electronic display into a single track lighting system.